Pence praises Poland’s actions on Huawei as U.S. pressure mounts
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence praised Poland on Wednesday for its commitment to “protecting the telecoms sector from China”, as part of a concerted push by the United States to convince its allies to exclude tech giant Huawei from telecoms projects.
Conservative pro-Brexit group will not back UK PM May’s motion: BBC
A pro-Brexit faction of Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative Party will not back her motion in parliament on Thursday that seeks renewed backing for her Brexit plan, the BBC’s political editor reported without citing sources.
Algeria’s Bouteflika dismisses national police chief
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika dismissed national police chief Mustapha Lahbiri on Wednesday, the interior ministry said in a statement that gave no reason for the move.
Suicide bomber kills 27 members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards
A suicide bomber killed at least 27 members of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards on Wednesday, Tasnim news agency said, in a southeastern region where security forces are facing a rise in attacks by militants from the country’s Sunni Muslim minority.
Arsonists target Michelin-starred chef who denounced ‘yellow vest’ violence
A Michelin-starred chef who denounced the mindless violence of hoodlums on the fringes of France’s “yellow vest protests” said on Wednesday he was contemplating his future after arsonists struck for a second time in two weeks.
German arrest is first big catch for Syria investigators
(In this February 13 story corrects sixth paragraph to say Anwar R. was head of investigations at the branch, not head of whole branch)
U.S. meeting on Middle East brings together Israel, Gulf Arab states
A U.S.-sponsored Middle East conference aimed at building a coalition against what Washington sees as the threat posed by Iran also produced signs of a warming of ties between Israel and some Arab countries on Wednesday.
China calls report of talks with Venezuela opposition ‘fake news’
China said on Wednesday a newspaper report that Chinese diplomats had held talks with Venezuela’s political opposition to protect its investments in the Latin American country was “fake news”.
Venezuela’s Maduro says Guaido will have to answer before courts
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro threatened opposition leader Juan Guaido with facing the courts “sooner or later” for violating the constitution by anointing himself legitimate head-of-state, according to an interview published on Wednesday.
Brazil moves top prison gang leader to high-security federal facility: source
Marcos Willians Camacho, the main leader of powerful prison gang First Capital Command, was transferred on Wednesday to a high- security federal penitentiary from a Sao Paulo state prison, a source told Reuters.
